TB/HIV CO-INFECTION RATES AMONG PATIENTS ATTENDING SECONDARY HEALTH CENTRE’S IN GBOKO METROPOLIS OF BENUE STATE, NIGERIA
Aernan, P.T, Akande, T and Yange, T.S.
Department of Biological Sciences
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
Three hundred and four (304) blood and sputum samples were collected from patients attending General Hospital, NKST Hospital Mkar, Public Health care centre and Baki clinic and maternity all in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State. Viral antibody detection technique was adopted, a WHO approved ELISA kit called ‘determine’was used to analyze blood samples while ziehl-Nelson staining technique (microscopy) was used to analyze sputum samples. Of the 304 patients screened, 226 (74.3%) were HIV positive, 171(56.3%) were T.B positive and 93(30.6%) had co-infection. The rate of co-infection was higher among males 46(36.3%) than females 44(26.0%). Co-infection was found to be statistically associated with age and marital status, with 31-4o age group (41.2%) showing higher frequency of co-infection. Preventive measures should be taken into account other than curative through proper health education and routine HIV screening should be encouraged.
Keywords: HIV, T.B ,CO-infection, ELISA, Ziehl-Nelson.